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Our workshop will take us on a photographic journey into ‘Middle Earth’ – The spectacular South Island of New Zealand. The South Island of New Zealand is home to some of the most spectacular scenery and landscapes in the world. It is no co-incidence that Peter Jackson chose the South Island of New Zealand to film the Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings movies. Perhaps nowhere else in the world can one see and photograph precipitous alpine mountains plunging into temperate rain forest and wild ocean beaches in so short a space. New Zealand is home to an incredibly diverse range of subject matter in a small island. Glaciers, waterfalls, spectacular valleys, imposing mountain ranges and black pebble beaches. It is an island of ever changing weather and spectacular light conditions. It is a country made for photography.

This workshop is about photography and lots of it. There will be no formal classroom sessions or lectures and no formal instruction. Rather, we will work side by side, sharing our knowledge, vision, philosophy and experience together in the field.  We want everyone to make great photographs so the emphasis is on being out in the field when the light is best. We will be on hand for any advice or instruction and we will work together as a team. There will be opportunities for image processing instruction in Adobe Lightroom as well as image reviews at the end of a days shooting. This workshop is for dedicated landscape and nature photographers who are willing to work for their images. With a small group of photographers (just nine in total) we can gurantee a more personal and intimate experience than bigger tours can provide. We will be travelling in large 4-wheel drive vehicles to give us plenty of space for camera equipment and gear. So bring what you need!

This photography tour will last for twelve days (eleven nights). We will be staying in good hotels and guest houses that are functional and clean. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are all included. However, this workshop tour is all about photography and we will be putting in long hours in the field in order to ensure we get the best possible light for photography. We may take food and drink with us into the field to ensure we are in the right locations to get the best possible light.  Also included in the tour is a private chartered helicopter ride with the doors removed for photography over the spectacular Southern Alps. Flying in a small mountain helicopter with the doors removed for photography over the snow capped mountains and glaciers of the Southern Alps is a breathtaking experience and promises to be a real highlight of the tour. We have also included a privately chartered boat in the small fishing village of Kaikoura for photography in the bay of Dusky Dolphins as they leap from the water whilst majestic Albatross follow along hoping for a free meal. If we are lucky we may even encounter Sperm whales cruising off the continental shelf and Sea Lions basking in the sunshine on the coast.

The workshop will run from February the 15th 2014 – until February 26th 2014. Due to prior expressions of interest and bookings there are only 3 places remaining on this workshop before it will be sold out. A detailed itinerary can be downloaded HERE. If the idea of travelling with a small group of dedicated photographers through the South Island of New Zealand appeals to you then please contact me at info@jholko.com if you would like additional information or to register for your place. Bookings are taken on a first come, first served basis and once all positions are filled thats it. To get an idea of the spectacular scenery we will encounter and photograph Phillip and I have put together a short video. Just click on the image below to view the video. New Zealand.